Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will fund employers who provide approved apprenticeships at the same level as funding that follows students to further education colleges.

Iain Gray: The funding generally reflects the differences between work-based and college-based training. Detailed funding is an operational matter for the enterprise networks and for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council, respectively.

Birds

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prosecutions have been sought for the illegal killing of red kites in each of the last five years.

Colin Boyd QC: The information requested is not available

Cancer

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in replacing old linear accelerators and when it expects to see a reduction in the waiting times for radiotherapy treatment of cancer as a result.

Malcolm Chisholm: The radiotherapy equipment modernisation programme has been agreed through a steering group, comprising NHSScotland physicists and oncologists who deliver the services, to determine immediate and longer-term equipment requirements. The programme has maintained steady progress over the last three years in replacing old, out of date linear accelerators and related equipment in all five of Scotland's cancer centres. The table sets out the current position:

  


Centre


No. of Linear Accelerators


Replaced/Being Replaced/Being Commissioned




Glasgow


8


1 replacement
4 additional




Edinburgh


5


4 replacement




Dundee


2


2 replacement




Aberdeen


2


2 replacement




Inverness


1


1 replacement




  Long lead times are experienced in the planning, building works (if necessary) installation and commissioning of linear accelerators and associated equipment.

  A further wave of central purchasing (Wave 4) is currently being planned that, subject to the required investment appraisal process by NHS boards, will see a further six machines being commissioned. Two of these would be replacements and four additional to current numbers.

  Waiting times for radiotherapy treatment in Glasgow have fallen from eight weeks to approximately four weeks. In other centres the position is currently fluctuating as replacement equipment installation and commissioning can mean longer waiting times over a period of months. Waiting times in other centres are currently four to six weeks.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many post-registration specialist nursing cancer courses are currently available.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Specialist practitioner courses are currently available at Robert Gordon University, Dundee University and Glasgow University.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses have qualified in each post-registration specialist nursing cancer course in each of the last five years.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  


Institutions


1997-98


1998-99


1999-2000


2000-01


2001-02*




Robert Gordon University


2


2


3


2


0




University of Dundee


0


0


0


10


12




University of Glasgow


0


0


0


13


16




Total


2


2


3


25


28




  Note:

  *The numbers for 2001-02 have been counted manually and may not correspond exactly with the statistics to be published later this year.

Cancer

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist cancer nurses there currently are, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) specialist cancer unit.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The information requested is not held centrally.

Careers Scotland

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring arrangements are in place in order to determine how successful the creation of Careers Scotland will be.

Iain Gray: The Executive has set a series of targets for the new body and a timetable for their achievement. My officials will be meeting Careers Scotland directors regularly to discuss progress towards delivery, and the Joint Supervisory Group that oversees Careers Scotland will also consider reports on performance.

Community Safety

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the provision of a local CCTV system in Grantown-on-Spey and, if so, how such a scheme can be funded; what budget lines are available for the funding of such schemes, and whether its policy on this matter will be reviewed in order to ensure that CCTV schemes are available to towns such as Grantown-on-Spey.

Dr Richard Simpson: On 31 October 2001 we announced details of a new community safety award programme to supersede both the CCTV and Community Safety Challenge Competitions. The new scheme gives all local authority-led Community Safety Partnerships a share of £12 million over the next three years for local community safety initiatives. The funding available for 2002-03 is £4 million - £1 million more than the combined annual Challenge Competition awards for previous years. The same sum will also be available to Community Safety Partnerships in 2003-04 and 2004-05. For 2002-03 the Highland Wellbeing Alliance Community Safety Partnership has been allocated a total community safety award of £139,501. A similar sum will be awarded to the partnership in both 2003-04 and 2004-05.

  The programme allows Community Safety Partnerships to secure, for the first time, sustained mainstream funding to be used solely for the purposes of taking forward local priorities identified within their community safety strategies and action plans. Funding can be utilised for both capital and revenue funding including CCTV. Decisions on local community safety priorities are therefore a matter for the local Community Safety Partnership.

Community Safety

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in order to encourage communities to facilitate the maintenance of law and order by installing CCTV systems.

Dr Richard Simpson: Over the six years of the CCTV Challenge Competition, 161 CCTV projects have been awarded in excess of £10 million which will result in the installation of over 2,000 cameras.

  On 31 October 2001 we announced details of a new community safety award programme to supersede both the CCTV and Community Safety Challenge Competitions. The new scheme will give all local authority-led Community Safety Partnerships a share of £12 million over the next three years for local community safety initiatives. The funding available for 2002-03 is £4 million - £1 million more than the combined annual Challenge Competition awards for previous years. The same sum will also be available to Community Safety Partnerships in 2003-04 and 2004-05.

  The programme will allow Community Safety Partnerships to secure, for the first time, sustained mainstream funding to be used solely for the purposes of taking forward their community safety agendas. It will allow Community Safety Partnerships to identify local priorities and can be utilised for both capital and revenue funding including CCTV.

Discipline Task Group

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19860 by Nicol Stephen on 5 December 2001, which recommendations of the Discipline Task Group have been implemented to date; which recommendations have been rejected, and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: All of the recommendations of the Discipline Task Group Report were accepted. A timetable for implementation was published in December 2001 in the Joint Action Plan agreed with the COSLA, the Association of Directors of Education and the Association of Directors of Social Work. Recommendations 1, 5, 35 and 36 have been implemented in full by the Scottish Executive. Implementation of the remaining recommendations is in hand.

  The Executive will be contacting local authorities in June 2002 to request information on the progress of those recommendations to be implemented by local authorities and schools.

Doctors

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of doctors registered in the last year have trained outwith the UK.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The information requested is not held centrally. All doctors practising in the UK are registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), which is a reserved body, independent of government. Contact details for the GMC are available on:

  http://www.gmc-uk.org/index.htm.

  ISD Scotland collects information on doctors directly employed by NHSScotland at the annual census point, including country of initial qualification.

Eating Disorders

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has provided for eating disorder services and what specific sums have been allocated to each NHS board in each of the last three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: No separate financial allocations are made for eating disorder services within the funds allocated each year to NHSScotland. It is for each NHS board to agree the level of investment to make in consideration of assessed local needs and following the guidance which was issued in October 2001.

Eating Disorders

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will facilitate the establishment of a dedicated eating disorder centre in every NHS board area which will provide residential as well as out-patient services.

Malcolm Chisholm: The health department published guidance in October 2001 on the provision of eating disorder services. At that time, NHS boards were asked to assess the needs of their local population for all aspects of eating disorder services, including in-patient care. It is for NHS boards to consider what provision best suits the assessed needs of their area, in collaboration with neighbouring boards where appropriate. A number of NHS boards are currently reviewing their services in this regard.

Eating Disorders

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether eating disorders are a major and growing condition and what level of priority it gives to such disorders in the planning of resource allocation.

Malcolm Chisholm: Nationally there is evidence of an increased incidence and prevalence of eating disorders. However, this may, in part, result from greater awareness of the condition.

  In terms of resource allocation, it is for each NHS board to consider the most appropriate response in terms of investment, following the guidance which was issued in October 2001.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what grants have been awarded under its Alternatives to Exclusion Grant Scheme in each year since 1999 and, in respect of each such grant, (a) how much was awarded, (b) to which specific projects the awards was made and (c) what the duration is of the grant assistance.

Cathy Jamieson: Alternatives to exclusion funding since 1999 is as follows:

  


Authority


1999-2000
(£)


2000-01
(£)


2001-02
(£)




Aberdeen City


175,032


277,553


350,065




Aberdeenshire


251,052


401,924


502,104




Angus


113,126


183,006


226,250




Argyll and Bute


93,133


149,666


186,266




Clackmannanshire


48,331


77,638


96,663




Comhairle nan Eilean Siar


38,354


61,357


76,709




Dumfries and Galloway


156,778


252,193


313,557




Dundee City


137,800


218,133


275,600




East Ayrshire


126,487


200,437


252,974




East Dunbartonshire


128,262


206,015


256,523




East Lothian


84,089


137,321


168,179




East Renfrewshire


104,126


168,714


208,252




Edinburgh, City of


319,854


515,407


639,709




Falkirk


136,925


220,012


273,851




Fife


352,406


565,108


704,812




Glasgow City


487,950


777,872


975,901




Highland


235,564


378,371


471,128




Inverclyde


88,180


139,826


176,359




Midlothian


84,826


136,930


169,652




Moray


91,981


146,811


183,962




North Ayrshire


142,794


227,563


285,587




North Lanarkshire


347,659


552,573


695,317




Orkney Islands


26,971


42,996


53,943




Perth and Kinross


125,326


200,447


250,651




Renfrewshire


179,703


287,748


359,406




Scottish Borders


107,029


171,473


214,058




Shetland Islands


32,148


51,735


64,295




South Ayrshire


116,706


185,414


233,411




South Lanarkshire


314,836


501,845


629,672




Stirling


85,016


136,776


170,032




West Dunbartonshire


103,451


164,554


206,901




West Lothian


164,105


262,582


328,211




Totals


5,000,000


8,000,000


10,000,000




  Notes:

  (a) Local authorities can utilise the allocated funding according to their own discretion, providing funds are used in accordance with the intended purpose of the award, in this case in relation to alternatives to exclusion. The Scottish Executive does not hold detailed information on specific projects.

  (b) Funding is provided on an annual basis.

Education

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19860 by Nicol Stephen on 5 December 2001, whether the update of Circular 2/98 Guidance on Issues Concerning Exclusion from School has been completed and, if so, whether it will place a copy in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Cathy Jamieson: The revision of Circular 2/98 Guidance On Issues Concerning Exclusion From School has been through an initial consultation process. Following further consultation, the final version will be issued at the beginning of the new academic year 2002-03. A copy will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Education

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with the European Commission regarding the European Year of Education through Sport 2004.

Cathy Jamieson: The proposal for a European Year of Education through Sport has been developed during the Spanish Presidency by the EU Council's Education Committee, which is attended by the European Commission. The Scottish Executive's interests are represented at all meetings of the Education Committee by the UK delegation, which has included an official from the Scottish Executive Education Department on five of the seven meetings of the committee held during the Spanish Presidency. A Proposed Decision will be discussed at the Council of EU Education Ministers on 30 May 2002.

Education

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many school days were lost by pupils absent due to (a) sickness and (b) respiratory illness in each of the last five years.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive collects statistical returns on levels of authorised and unauthorised absence in Scotland's schools from local authorities. However, the more specific information requested is not held centrally.

Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, how many overseas students, other than asylum seekers and refugees, undertake English language courses and what further information is available on such students in regard to (a) how many studied (i) part-time and (ii) full-time, (b) their country of origin, (c) their length of stay, (d) how many progressed to further education and higher education courses, (e) how many are also in part-time employment and what the nature of that employment is and (f) an estimate of their contribution to the economy through course fees, accommodation costs, living expenses and leisure pursuits, in each year since 1999.

Iain Gray: The information requested is not held centrally.

Enterprise

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has in the development of sector training councils.

Iain Gray: Sector Skills Councils are being developed by employers as UK-wide organisations, with support from a new UK-wide Sector Skills Development Agency. They will replace the former National Training Organisations and will be licensed jointly by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills and the Lifelong Learning Ministers in the devolved administrations. The Scottish Executive will be fully involved in the licensing process to ensure that the interests of Scottish employment sectors are covered.

Enterprise

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is taken by Scottish Enterprise to attract talented individuals from abroad; how it ascertains whether such individuals stay in Scotland, and how it measures any impact on the economy of their retention.

Iain Gray: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. Information on action being taken is contained in its operating plan for 2002-03.

Enterprise

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been secured from non-Executive sources for participants in the Microcredit scheme since the programme was launched.

Iain Gray: This is a matter for Scottish Enterprise. The information requested is not held centrally.

Enterprise

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support small businesses in central Scotland during current market conditions for UK manufacturing industries.

Iain Gray: The manufacturing sector has experienced falling output in recent times, due to the global slowdown and re-structuring in key industries such as electronics. Scotland cannot be immune from global developments. All major industrialised economies have recently experienced a fall in industrial output.

  Although the Executive recognises that trading conditions remain difficult, there is some evidence that situation is improving for the manufacturing sector. Business survey evidence regarding optimism and demand does show an expected improvement in the latter part of 2002.

  A framework for support for manufacturing across Scotland was set out in Created in Scotland, in March 2000. It includes 52 initiatives which are being progressed at the Scottish and UK levels; 38 of these are being implemented by the Executive and its agencies. Good progress has already been made on almost all of these initiatives and a number of them can provide support to small businesses. One example is the Small Business Gateway which provides access to advice and information on business support available both locally and nationally.

European Working Time Directive

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Department of Trade and Industry to extend the EU Working Time Directive to protect public sector workers in Scotland from working more than seven consecutive days.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to employment issues.

  The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of employment matters, including the Working Time Directive.

Finance

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding sport will receive as a result of the increase in National Insurance contributions announced in the UK Budget 2002.

Mr Andy Kerr: We will take the impact of recent employer National Insurance contributions changes into account in making allocations in the current spending review, the results of which will be announced in September.

Fire Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the current level of vacancies for retained fire fighters compares with the figures for 2001, broken down by brigade.

Dr Richard Simpson: The information is as follows:

  


Brigade


2001


2002 (Current)




Central Scotland


21


18




Dumfries and Galloway


21


4




Fife


10


8




Grampian


65


82




Highland and Islands


52


89




Lothian and Borders


10


5




Strathclyde


36


45




Tayside


30


40

Fire Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average age is of fire stations in each fire brigade area

Dr Richard Simpson: The information requested is as follows:

  


Central Scotland


29 years




Dumfries and Galloway


24 years




Fife


32 years




Highland and Islands


20 years




Grampian


35 years




Lothian and Borders


29 years




Strathclyde


32 years




Tayside


34 years

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of foot-and-mouth disease surveillance provision announced by the Minister for Rural Development last year has taken place and, if so, when the findings will be published.

Ross Finnie: A strategy for enhancing disease surveillance in the United Kingdom is being developed and will provide a framework for veterinary surveillance as a whole, not just foot-and-mouth disease. The finalised strategy will be published after stakeholder consultation.

Foster Care and Adoption

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11266 by Nicol Stephen on 11 December 2000, whether, in the context of the on-going review of adoption and fostering, any consideration is being given to amending regulation 12 of the Children (Scotland) Regulations 1996.

Cathy Jamieson: As indicated in answer to question S1W-25630 on 20 May 2002, the precise remit of phase two of the review has yet to be decided, but it is intended that it will cover a range of legal and policy issues in relation to fostering.

Further Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether further education in Midlothian and East Lothian is adequately provided for in view of anticipated population growth, detailing the reasons behind its position on this matter.

Iain Gray: Since 1 April 1999, the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) has had responsibility for securing the adequate and efficient provision of further education in Scotland, primarily through the distribution of grant-in-aid funds to colleges in accordance with ministerial policy guidance.

  SFEFC recently completed a supply and demand mapping exercise, which will help the funding council make future strategic decisions on the provision of further education throughout the country.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average time is from GP referral to the first consultation with a neurologist in respect of a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in each NHS board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. Data on waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant is collected at speciality level only.

  The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in Neurology, following referral by a General Medical Practitioner, in the year ending 31 December 2001, by NHS board of residence, is given in the table.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times for a First Out-patient Appointment with a Consultant in Neurology, Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS Board of Residence. Year Ending 31 December 2001P

  


NHS Board


Median Wait




Argyll and Clyde


80 days




Ayrshire and Arran


97 days




Borders


78 days




Dumfries and Galloway


101 days




Fife


66 days




Forth Valley


70 days




Grampian


88 days




Greater Glasgow


95 days




Highland


59 days




Lanark


106 days




Lothian


28 days




Orkney


120 days




Shetland


97 days




Tayside


66 days




Western Isles


56 days




Scotland


69 days




  pProvisional.

  Source: ISD Scotland.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to waive prescription charges for people with chronic disabling illnesses such as Parkinson's disease.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have no plans to do so.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the number of rheumatologists per head of population is at the level recommended by the British Society for Rheumatology.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to meet the target level of rheumatologists per head of the population recommended by the British Society for Rheumatology.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The number of rheumatologists per head of the population is less than the level recommended by the British Society for Rheumatology. The staffing establishment in NHSScotland is decided by the local NHS board, in consultation with the trusts in its area, in order to provide a modern, flexible service matched to local needs. Criteria produced by external organisations do not govern the staffing establishment, although we would expect NHS boards to consider such recommendations in their future planning.

  The new workforce development arrangements that we are establishing will seek to bring a more co-ordinated approach to assessing the workforce needs of NHSScotland.

Health

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the number of acute services paediatric doctors and specialists in the NHS.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: It is a matter for individual NHS boards and trusts to determine staffing levels on the basis of local need. Trusts must be able to adapt staffing arrangements to suit the changing pattern of local circumstances, and be judged by outcomes rather than inputs.

  A review of the Scottish medical workforce has been commissioned and is expected to report shortly. This report will help inform the future planning of the medical workforce across Scotland, and will be a key element of the workforce development arrangements which we are establishing to support boards and trusts in assessing and providing for their workforce needs.

  I also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22202 on 6 February 2002.

Health Promotion

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the article in The Sunday Herald of 5 May 2002, when the first "berry tsar" will be appointed, what input it will have into the appointment of this person and what the exact remit of the post will be.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has recently agreed to fund the Berry Scotland Project for two years to cover the appointment of a Scientific Co-ordinator. The post will be filled by open competition and has been advertised. Scottish Executive officials participated in drawing up the job description and person specification and, at the invitation of the Berry Team, a representative from the Scottish Executive will sit on the interview panel. The duties of the post-holder will be to:

  conduct a consultation exercise to review current research and research capacity in relation to berries and key aspects of the food chain (e.g. production, processing, consumption, health) in the UK and review the place of berry production and manufacture in the economy;

  identify research (and development) capacity within Scotland and help to facilitate funded opportunities for research collaborations with academic and industrial partners;

  facilitate applications for competitive funding schemes, and

  seek to secure further funding support for Berry Scotland.

Higher Education

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the pay and conditions of university research staff.

Iain Gray: Pay and conditions for research staff is a matter for institutions to decide in conjunction with employees and their representatives.

  An 8% increase in the funding allocated by the Executive for 2001-02 allowed the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) to increase the unit of core funding by 4%, the first real terms increase in core funding in almost two decades, providing more resources to help address such issues.

Higher Education

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to eliminate any growing financial deficits in universities.

Iain Gray: Responsibility for the financial health of higher education Institutions lies primarily with the management of those institutions. Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) is responsible for monitoring and funding them.

  Funding for the SHEFC in 2002-03 is £699 million, consolidating the 8% (5.6% in real terms) increase which SHEFC received in 2001-02. An additional £108 million is being invested in the sector between 2001-02 and 2003-04.

  Over the life of the Parliament this represents a real terms increase of 6% in the funds made available to the sector.

Justice

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish its guidance on questioning children in court.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24968 on 8 May 2002.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what the reason is for the rise in the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay by the police and other reporting agencies since 1998-99.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: This information is not held centrally. However, we are addressing the timeliness of reporting with the police and other reporting agencies.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what steps it is taking to reduce the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay by the police and other reporting agencies.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: We are addressing the timeliness of reporting with the police and other reporting agencies.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what the reason is for the rise in the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay by the procurator fiscal since 1998-99.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The proportion of these cases is very small, having risen from 205 to 451. There are likely to be a number of factors leading to this, including the need to devote resources to serious cases and other competing pressures on the time of Procurators Fiscal.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what steps it is taking to reduce the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay by the procurator fiscal.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: We are implementing the recommendations of the recent management review. Additional prosecutors have been recruited and structural changes are being made to improve the management support given to prosecutors.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what the reason is for the rise in the number of cases marked "no proceedings" due to a time bar under section 136 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 since 1998-99.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: This information is not held centrally. However, we are addressing the timeliness of reporting with the police and other reporting agencies.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, what steps it is taking to reduce the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of a time-bar under section 136 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: We are addressing the timeliness of reporting with the police and other reporting agencies.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25069 by Colin Boyd on 29 April 2002, whether it will list for each agency which sends reports to the procurator fiscal (a) the total number of reports sent, (b) the number of cases marked "no proceedings" as a result of delay, (c) the number of cases proceeding to trial and (d) the number of convictions secured in (i) 1998-99, (ii) 1999-2000, (iii) 2000-01 and (iv) 2001-02.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: This information is not available.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service prioritise cases; whether there is any guidance to staff of these offices on how to prioritise cases, and whether any such guidance will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The training received and written guidance held by procurators fiscal identifies particular classes of case as generally requiring priority. These include, for example, cases involving children, cases in which the accused is in custody and cases in which a time bar is approaching. The allocation of priorities as between the several cases which a given member of staff or a given office requires to deal with at a particular time is a matter for professional judgement in light of training and experience and depends on consideration of all of the circumstances of each case.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service set criteria to indicate which cases should be sent to the district court and which are eligible for an alternative to prosecution and whether any such criteria will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: Procurators Fiscal are instructed that cases which may be competently taken in the district court should be taken there unless there is some good reason for prosecuting in the sheriff court or the Lord Advocate directs otherwise. The Lord Advocate has directed that: (a) proceedings should not be taken in the district court for a breach of a Sex Offenders Order, or any offence aggravated by a breach of a Sex Offender Order; (b) proceedings should not be taken in the district court where the prosecutor considers a Non-Harassment Order to be appropriate, and (c) proceeding should not be taken in the district court where the offence is racially aggravated or contrary to section 50A of the Criminal Law (Consolidated) (Scotland) Act 1995. The criteria for the use of alternatives to prosecution are set out in the Prosecution Code which has been published and made available on the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service website.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for the decline in the number and proportion of cases reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service being sent to the district court since 1997-98.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The reduction in business in the district court is a consequence of the reduction in the overall number of cases reported to the procurator fiscal, the availability of fiscal fines and other alternatives to prosecution and the shift in the balance of business towards more serious crime.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the types of costs the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service incur in the event of the adjournment of a trial (a) in advance and (b) on the date of the trial.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: The adjournment of a trial on the date of the trial usually involves the payment of expenses to witnesses who have been inconvenienced. The adjournment of a trial at any time means that staff time in preparing for the trial (including administrative staff time in citing witnesses, arranging for productions to be in court and paper handling) has been wasted. The extent of that wasted expense depends on how long before the trial date it is known that there is to be an adjournment.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service have any policy in regard to the citing of police officers to give evidence at trials, and, if so, whether any such policy will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: It is, by statute, one of the duties of a police officer to attend any court of law for the purpose of giving evidence. Procurators Fiscal have been instructed in the following terms: "Procurators Fiscal should take steps to ensure that no more witnesses are cited than are necessary to prove a particular case. Procurators Fiscal are therefore urged to examine carefully the question of who should be cited to attend in a particular case, with the aim of ensuring that unnecessary witnesses are not cited. Police witnesses speaking only to a non-reply to caution and charge or to forms raised by the police in terms of the detention provisions of section 14 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 are unlikely to be necessary witnesses. In summary cases Procurators Fiscal should therefore rely where appropriate on the presumption offered by section 280(A) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 and should take steps to ensure that such witnesses are not normally cited (or, where they have been cited, countermand them once the position becomes clear). Where there is ample other evidence consideration should also be given to the need to cite both police witnesses speaking to an incriminating reply by an accused. For the avoidance of doubt two police witnesses will of course be required to speak to 'special knowledge' replies".

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce the number of summary criminal trials adjourned in advance of the trial date due to the unavailability of police officers.

Mrs Elish Angiolini: Police officers inform the procurator fiscal, in the report which they submit, of any dates on which they will not be available. Procurators Fiscal take that information into account in accepting suggested trial diets. Lothian and Borders Police are, with the co-operation of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service piloting arrangements for police rostering, leave and availability to be checked immediately before trials are fixed. Early indications are that significant reductions in adjournments are being achieved as a result. Grampian Police are also, with the co-operation of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the Scottish Court Service, piloting a similar process but one based on direct computer access in court. Such measures are designed to ensure that, so far as possible, trial dates are fixed when police officers will be available.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it has defined the expression "public interest" in section 71(2) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill to include any sector of the public, however small.

Ross Finnie: This provision is to protect the interests of small groups of people whose activities and property would be affected by an application but who are not necessarily a party to the application. For example, it would protect the interests of an individual crofting township where an application is made in respect of a wider area of croft land which includes their land. Conversely it could also protect interests outwith the area of land covered by the application where a change in the ownership of the land covered by the application would have an adverse impact on them.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which salmon fishings in Scotland are "eligible croft land" within the meaning of the expression in section 67(4)(b) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Ross Finnie: Salmon fishings which are "eligible croft land" for the purposes of section 67(4)(b) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill are those defined as such by section 65(2)(d) of that bill.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the word "contiguous" in section 65(2)(d) of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill is to be construed where part of the length of a salmon river abuts croft land at one of its banks.

Ross Finnie: The meaning of "contiguous" is clear and unambiguous. It means "touching" or "sharing a border with". In the context of the bill contiguous salmon fishings must abut the croft land and they will only be eligible croft land insofar as they do so.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive approximately how often it anticipates the provisions of compulsory purchase contained in Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill will be exercised in relation to salmon fishings within the first ten years of enactment of the bill.

Ross Finnie: This is not a right which we would expect crofting communities to attempt to exercise frequently, but it will be there if they want it. It will also help to ensure that in future all landowners in the Highlands and Islands have a proper regard for the interests, needs and sustainable development of the fragile crofting communities in which their properties are located.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure investor confidence in salmon fishings in the light of any concerns expressed in response to the proposals for the compulsory purchase of salmon fishings contained in Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Ross Finnie: If there has been any damage done to the confidence of prospective investors in salmon fishings it has been done by those people who have, in contesting our proposals, sought to suggest that there will be massive adverse effects on the quality of the fishing that will be available in the future as a result of this legislation. Any problems which exist will be resolved when opponents stop talking up the problems and start making realistic and sober assessments of the effects of these proposals. From that perspective the most useful way in which the Executive can ensure investor confidence would be to make sure that this bill is enacted as quickly as possible.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a crofting community will be required to show how it will fund its management, as well as its purchase, of a salmon fishing before it is permitted to acquire compulsorily a salmon fishing under Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Ross Finnie: As with any other crofting community right to buy application, an application for a right to buy salmon fishings would be required to include the information specified in section 70(5)(e), (f) and (g) of the bill and to succeed such an application must also meet criteria specified in section 71(1)(j), (k), (l) and (o). I am sure these requirements could not be successfully met without demonstrating how the on-going management of the salmon fishings is to be funded.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which provision in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill leaves tenancies, time shares and syndication arrangements of salmon fishings unaffected by the exercise of the provisions to acquire salmon fishings compulsorily in Part 3 of the Bill.

Ross Finnie: The right to buy extends only to land which consists of salmon fishings as defined in section 65(2)(d). Where existing arrangements such as leases, timeshare or syndications are binding on the present owner, these arrangements will be binding on the new owner. Timeshare or syndication arrangements which constitute joint or common ownership would in theory be susceptible to purchase through the provisions of section 70(4). However, it may prove difficult to demonstrate that the purchase of fishings held under such arrangements would lead to sustainable development or be in the public interest. Furthermore, in many cases affordability is likely to be an issue for crofting community bodies. There is also a specific protection for tenancies in section 67(5).

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to prevent owners of salmon fishings from avoiding compulsory purchase of their salmon fishings under Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill by the creation of tenancies, time shares or syndication arrangements.

Ross Finnie: None. Such arrangements may enable those who currently control and manage the fishings to continue to do so. The crofting community may still be able to purchase the salmon fishings and if they do so may benefit as owners from any revenues to be derived in the form of rent etc. from such arrangements.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why communities should be given the opportunity by Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill to purchase land compulsorily in order to utilise it in a holistic fashion if this were to cause land severance and deny the present owner the ability to manage his land in a holistic fashion.

Ross Finnie: The objective of land reform is to remove land-based barriers to the sustainable development of rural communities. It is not expected that crofting communities will wish to exercise the crofting community right to buy unless the current ownership has proved to be just such a land based barrier.

  An application by a crofting community body to exercise the right to buy land will not succeed unless the proposed acquisition will deliver sustainable development and be in the public interest. Each application will be considered on its merits and with reference to the criteria which ministers must take into account in reaching a decision. An application would not be considered to be in the public interest if granting that application would result in severe detriment to the sustainable development of other land.

  It is, of course, open to any landowner to seek to avoid problems of severance by either utilising the provisions of section 76 of the bill or negotiating a sale of his/her property to the crofting community. In addition, if a successful application results in severance and depreciation of other property, section 85(6)(a)(ii) of the bill provides that the price paid should take account of this.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why communities should be given the opportunity under Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill to purchase part of a salmon fishing compulsorily so that it may be utilised in a holistic fashion with croft land if this were to cause severance of the ownership and management of the salmon fishing and deny the present owners the ability to manage the salmon fishing in a holistic fashion.

Ross Finnie: The crofting community right to buy is intended to support the sustainable development of fragile crofting communities and has been created because we believe this is the only way to ensure the future of some communities. It is a means of removing a land based barrier to rural development.

  An application by a crofting community body to exercise the right to buy salmon fishings will not succeed unless the proposed acquisition will deliver sustainable development and be in the public interest. Each application will be considered on its merits and with reference to the criteria which ministers must take into account in reaching a decision. An application would not be considered to be in the public interest if granting that application would result in severe detriment to the sustainable development of other land. However, if a successful application results in severance and depreciation of other property section 85(6)(a)(ii) of the bill provides that the price paid should take account of this.

  It is, of course, also open to any owner of salmon fishings to seek to avoid problems of severance by negotiating a sale of all of his/her property to the crofting community.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Minister for Justice considered that the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill was within the legislative competence of the Parliament, and therefore compatible with European convention on human rights (ECHR), given that part 3 of the bill includes provisions to expropriate compulsorily salmon fishings.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has been aware from the outset that many of the provisions in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill would require to be carefully formulated to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights. Ministers consider that the provisions in the bill, including those relating to the acquisition of salmon fishings, achieve that outcome, and there are no grounds on which it could successfully be argued that there is incompatibility with the convention.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it considers it necessary to include salmon fishings within the provisions of compulsory purchase in Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill when it believes that the provisions will rarely be exercised in relation to salmon fishings.

Ross Finnie: We believe that there are advantages to be derived from being able to manage all land-based activities on a property in a holistic fashion. We consider that crofting communities should have that opportunity if they want it. The very existence of this right to buy is also a significant factor in altering the balance of power between the crofting community and landowners, including proprietors of salmon fishings.

Land Reform (Scotland) Bill

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the expression "inland waters" is to have the same meaning in Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill as it does in part 1 of the bill.

Ross Finnie: The definition of "inland waters" in part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill does not apply to part 3.

Lifelong Learning

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is assisting in the establishment of a European area of lifelong learning.

Iain Gray: The establishment of a European area of Lifelong Learning, as the main recommendation in the EU Memorandum on Lifelong Learning, is being driven forward here with a wide-ranging policy programme aimed at creating a culture of Lifelong Learning in Scotland.

  Ground breaking initiatives such as learndirect scotland, Careers Scotland, adult literacy and numeracy and individual learning accounts, have put Scotland ahead of many of our European counterparts.

Local Government

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the answer to question S1W-14355 by Angus Mackay on 11 April 2001, how it defines matters of "collective importance" and "local significance" and what the reasons are for its position on this issue.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive consults COSLA and local authorities on a wide range of issues. Proposals which affect the broad structure, role functions and financing of local authorities generally are more likely to be dealt with, initially, through COSLA whereas a proposal which directly affects some but not all councils will be more specifically targeted. We believe that it is in the interests of a strong partnership between central and local government that local government should speak with one voice and that we should consult through COSLA on matters of collective significance to local government. All local authorities can make representations to the Scottish Executive at any time.

Local Government

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14355 by Angus MacKay on 11 April 2001, whether it plans to alter its consultation procedures for those local authorities that are not members of COSLA and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Mr Andy Kerr: Ministers are content with the current arrangements whereby consultation on matters of collective local authority interest is carried out through COSLA and with individual councils on matters of local significance, as it has done in the past.

Local Government

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14355 by Angus MacKay on 11 April 2001, what matters of "collective importance" have been communicated directly to those local authorities that are not members of COSLA since 1 January 2001.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive communicates with councils on a regular basis, both directly and through COSLA, but the detail of this information is not held centrally and could only be collated at disproportionate cost.

Local Government Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive which PFI/PPP projects it has supported since 1999; what financial assessment was made before agreeing to support each such project, and, specifically, whether it applied a discounting rate of 6% against future cash flows when assessing such projects against the cost of traditional procurement.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table details PFI/PPP projects awarded Level Playing Field Support, including the date from which support was or will be provided. Each project was assessed according to the guidance set out by HM Treasury and, where appropriate, a discount rate of 6% as specified by HM Treasury was used.

  


Authority


Project


Start Date




Aberdeenshire


Schools


Jan-02




Argyll and Bute


Waste management


Apr-01




Dumfries and Galloway


Waste management


Jul-01




Dundee City


Baldovie


Dec-99




East Renfrewshire


Schools


Aug-01




Edinburgh


Schools


Aug-03




Falkirk


Schools


Aug-00




Fife


Schools


Aug-02




Glasgow


Schools


Apr-01




Highland


IT


Apr-99




Highland


Schools


Aug-02




Moray


Education IT


Apr-99




Perth and Kinross


Office Accommodation


Jan-01




Stirling


Schools


Aug-01




Strathclyde Police


Training College


Oct-01




West Lothian


Schools


Oct-02

Mental Health

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS board areas have dedicated stress centres.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Public Health Institute for Scotland will publish the results of the national review of child and adolescent mental health services.

Malcolm Chisholm: A report is due to be published at the end of 2002. The review is being conducted in a consultative and participative manner and emerging findings will be communicated by a national conference on 14 June, at Strathclyde University, and followed up in a number of regional seminars in September/October 2002. Interim briefing on the first phase of the review is available at:

  www.show.scot.nhs.uk/phis.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to audit treatment outcomes for schizophrenia and, if so, whether the methods employed will include a user perspective.

Malcolm Chisholm: The published Clinical Standards Board for Scotland audit tool includes provisions to cover the very important user dimension. Further, £196,000 has been invested in the Scottish Schizophrenia Outcomes Study by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group. That study, involving all NHS Primary Care Trusts, will run until 2004 and includes the collection of user centred data for people with schizophrenia.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will implement in order to ensure NHS trusts are using standardised guidelines when prescribing anti-psychotic drugs.

Malcolm Chisholm: The prime responsibility for ensuring that guidelines are implemented and complied with rests with NHSScotland.

  The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS) has developed a set of standards for schizophrenia, which includes two relating to the prescription of anti-psychotic medications. The board consulted users of the service, considered all relevant guidance and conducted an extensive review of the research literature when developing these standards. Subsequently, checks for compliance are made by the CSBS during its programme of visits.

Midwifery

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student midwives will graduate by October 2002.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: One hundred and eleven student midwives will graduate by October 2002.

Ministerial Visits

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many ministerial visits there have been to each constituency in the last (a) three, (b) six, (c) nine and (d) 12 months.

Patricia Ferguson: The information requested is not held centrally. It is Executive practice to write to MSPs to tell them about forthcoming ministerial visits in their constituency and list area.

Museums

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £1.5 million Strategic Change Fund for museums has been allocated to assist Glasgow museums.

Mike Watson: The Executive has awarded one-off funding of £1 million to the Kelvingrove Refurbishment Appeal Trust and £2 million towards Glasgow's Museums and Galleries Service. This funding has not been taken from the Strategic Change Fund.

  Applications have now been invited by Scottish Museums Council for the £1.5 million Strategic Change Fund, with decisions on the first round of funding to be announced in October.

NHS Waiting Times

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further targets have been set in respect of reducing waiting times at North Glasgow and Yorkhill NHS Trusts.

Malcolm Chisholm: The national waiting time standards for NHSScotland are set out in Our National Health which was published in December 2000. It includes a commitment to reduce the national maximum waiting time for in-patient/day case treatment to nine months, from the current 12 months by 2003, as well as a number of specific waiting times standards for coronary heart disease and cancer.

  The National Waiting Times Unit is currently undertaking a programme of visits to all mainland NHS boards and trusts for discussions with senior management about their plans for ensuring delivery of national waiting times standards, and on the development of local standards which will tackle the longest waits for out-patient appointments and diagnostic tests.

Police

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to limit the number of consecutive night shifts worked by police officers to ensure their health and safety.

Mr Jim Wallace: In deploying their officers, chief constables are bound by regulations governing employment within the police service as well as generally. There are no current plans to amend these regulations as regards the number of consecutive night shifts worked by police officers. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland is currently conducting a review of the shift systems used by the Scottish Police Service.

Post Office

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered, or will consider, making business advisers available to sub-postmasters in rural and deprived urban areas, on a similar basis to the use of the £700,000 spent under the Phoenix Fund for such a scheme in England.

Iain Gray: Responsibility for business support services in Scotland rests largely with Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) networks. Access to business advisers for small businesses in Scotland, including sub-postmasters, is already available. It is accessible in the Scottish Enterprise area through the Small Business Gateway and in the HIE area by contacting the Local Enterprise Company (LEC) direct. Dedicated training for subpostmasters on business planning and diversification has been offered in a number of Scottish Enterprise LEC areas, and more is planned in the HIE area.

Post Office

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what figures are available regarding the number of threats, assaults and other criminal activity involving sub-postmasters.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for the accreditation of counselling programmes at HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Counselling is a day-to-day function in all Scottish prisons for which there is no programme accreditation. Offending behaviour programmes at HMP Kilmarnock are accredited through the same processes and to the same standards as in any other Scottish prison, viz by the Scottish Prison Service Programme Accreditation Panel, the majority of whom are external to SPS. The Kilmarnock Anger Management Programme received accreditation in 2001.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock make any payment to the Scottish Prison Service for the accreditation of the counselling programmes they are required to develop as referred to in Schedule D sections 12.4.1 and 12.4.2 of their contract.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No payment is made for accreditation of the offending behaviour programmes described in Schedule D. Counselling is a day-to-day function in all Scottish prisons for which there is no programme accreditation.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25236 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 May 2002, how it reconciles the answer with the evidence given by Michael Crossan, former deputy governor of Low Moss to the Justice 1 Committee on 14 May 2002 (Official Report col. 3544), that Eric Murch had prepared the report Constructing the Future .

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Constructing the Future report bore the name of Eric Murch as he was governor of Low Moss at the time, but as stated by Mike Crossan it was prepared in conjunction with the management team at Low Moss.

Road Accidents

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers the Lord Advocate has to instruct that all cases of causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 be taken before the high court, detailing the reasons behind its response on the matter.

Colin Boyd QC: Cases involving contraventions of section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (causing death by dangerous driving) must be prosecuted on indictment but the Lord Advocate's power to decide whether proceedings should be in the sheriff court or in the High Court is not restricted.

Road Accidents

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to ensure that all cases of causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1973 are taken before the high court, detailing the reasons behind its response on the matter.

Colin Boyd QC: Proceedings in respect of cases involving contraventions of section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (causing death by dangerous driving) may be taken on indictment in the sheriff court or the High Court. The selection of the appropriate forum is a matter for the Lord Advocate. Any such decision is taken by the Lord Advocate independently of any other person, including other members of the Scottish Executive, in terms of section 48(5) of the Scotland Act 1998. Such decisions are made having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case under consideration.

  The legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament is set out in the Scotland Act 1998; certain matters relating to road transport, including amendment of the statutory provisions relating to contraventions of section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, are reserved to the UK Government.

Road Accidents

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances a trial for causing death by dangerous driving under section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1973 would be heard in a court other than the High Court; whether not hearing such a case in the high court is acceptable, and whether it has any proposals in regard to this matter.

Colin Boyd QC: The decision as to the court in which to prosecute a case involving a contravention of section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (causing death by dangerous driving) is made according to the individual facts and circumstances of the particular case. The general approach to such decision making is set out in the Prosecution Code which is available in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service website:

  www.crownoffice.gov.uk.

  Where solemn proceedings for such an offence are taken in the sheriff court it is competent for a sheriff to remit a conviction to the High Court for sentence.

  The Scottish Executive has no current proposals to legislate in respect of this matter. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26027 today.

Rural Development

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken or commissioned any research into which salmon fishings in inland waters within or contiguous to croft land are being managed in a manner which is incompatible with sustainable rural development.

Ross Finnie: There has been no such research undertaken or commissioned by the Scottish Executive.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many copies of its Pathfinders to the Parliament Progress Report have been published and circulated, and how much it cost to publish, print and circulate the document.

Iain Gray: The total publication costs (including circulation) of the Pathfinders to the Parliament Progress Report were just under £3,000. This figure is based on 1,000 copies of the report.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the full costs were of publishing, printing and distributing its Report by the Ministerial Advisory Group on Gaelic: A Fresh Start for Gaelic .

Mike Watson: The cost of the graphic design and printing of the group's report was £16,133. The distribution cost to date is £500.

Scottish Executive Staff

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its staff will receive any additional payments, allowances or time off in lieu for any hours worked on 31 May, 3 June and 4 June 2002, detailing any enhanced payments, allowances or time off arrangements and the reasons behind its position on this matter.

Mr Andy Kerr: The holiday on 31 May is in recognition of the Queen's Official Birthday. The holidays on 3 and 4 June are bank holidays - the former is to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee, and the latter is the spring bank holiday which, this year has been moved from 27 May. Taken with the intervening weekend they will allow Scottish Executive staff a five-day celebration for the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

  Traditionally the Scottish Executive has regarded the holiday to mark the Queen's Official Birthday as a privilege holiday, and the spring bank holiday as a public holiday. In accordance with the discretion available to employers, the Scottish Executive has decided that the new holiday on 3 June should be regarded as a privilege holiday.

  In accordance with long standing arrangements, staff who are required to work on a public holiday will, in addition to their basic salary, receive a payment at plain time rate for their hours of attendance. Whenever possible, time off in lieu will also be granted equal to the hours worked on the holiday. When time off in lieu cannot be granted, an additional payment for the hours worked will be made at plain time rate.

  Staff required to work on a privilege holiday may be allowed an alternative holiday. If an alternative holiday cannot be granted, payment at plain time can be made at management discretion.

Scottish Executive Website

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that its website is designed to be accessible to disabled people.

Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive is committed to achieving full compliance with the World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Accessibility Initiative standards to ensure that its website is accessible to those with disabilities and a programme of enhancement work is already under way. The Scottish Executive also intends to seek "Bobby" approval - a self-certifying system which provides an indicative assessment of the site's accessibility for users with disabilities.

Scottish Renewables Obligation

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24187 by Ross Finnie on 2 April 2002, what the names are of the other two biomass schemes awarded contracts under the Scottish Renewables Obligation.

Ross Finnie: Contracts to develop biomass schemes under the Scottish Renewables Obligation were also awarded to projects in Arran (Borders Biofuels) and Morayhill (Deeside Woodland Products).

Scottish Transport Group Pension Schemes

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the letter of 8 May 2002 from the convener of the Public Petitions Committee to the Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning about public petition PE500 on behalf of the Scottish Bus Group Pensioners Action Committee, whether it will make a written reply to the letter; when any such reply will be made, and whether the minister will meet the petitioners before appearing before the committee.

Lewis Macdonald: A reply to the letter of 8 May will be issued in advance of the Public Petitions Committee meeting on 18 June 2002. I will respond to the Petitions Committee on matters they have raised with me following the meeting of 7 May 2002.

  The member will be interested to know that The Scottish Transport Group (Dissolution) Order 2002 has been made today and will come into force on Friday 7 June 2002. Copies of the order have been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre.

Social Economy

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-23753 by Iain Gray on 19 March 2002, when the social economy review report will be published.

Ms Margaret Curran: I am in the process of considering the draft of the social economy review and will arrange for publication of the report for consultation in due course.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many former coal-mining areas are covered by Social Inclusion Partnerships.

Hugh Henry: The Coalfield Regeneration Trust has defined four coalfield sub regions, namely Fife/Central, Ayrshire, Lothians, and Clydesdale and Strathkelvin.

  There are eight Social Inclusion Partnerships within these sub-regions, these being; (1) Alloa South and East, (2) Falkirk, (3) Fife, (4) Frae Fife, (5) East Ayrshire, (6) Tranent, (7) North Lanarkshire and (8) West Lothian.

Social Work

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of compliance with community service orders social work departments consider acceptable before reporting a breach of such an order.

Dr Richard Simpson: The compliance standards expected are set out in the National Objectives and Standards for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System, part 2, Service Standards, Community Service, paragraphs 75 to 100. These standards set out disciplinary procedures in the event of the following specific grounds for non-compliance comprise:

  failure to attend for work;

  lack of punctuality;

  failure to report as required by the Community Service Officer;

  failure to notify a change of address without delay;

  failure to notify a change in employment circumstances without delay, and

  failure to perform work to a satisfactory standard.

  Disciplinary procedures will normally involve giving the offender a chance to explain or rectify the failure and may lead to a formal warning. After a second failure, breach proceedings will normally follow, although a measure of flexibility has been built to allow the development of effective local practice and to reflect the individual circumstances of cases.

Special Educational Needs

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25671 by Cathy Jamieson on 21 May 2002, what the criteria were for accessing the Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants Programme funding and in what ways Independent Special Education Advice failed to meet those criteria.

Cathy Jamieson: The following criteria and priorities were set out in the grant application pack:

  promoting inclusive policies in mainstream and special schools

  approaches to improving links, and sharing skills/expertise between special and mainstream schools

  empowering parents to enable them to participate fully in their children's education

  improving children's participation in decisions which affect them

  promoting integrated and co-ordinated approaches to service delivery (e.g. key worker role)

  offering new approaches to advice and resolution of disagreements between professionals and families

  We are writing to those unsuccessful applicants who have requested feedback on their bids. This includes Independent Special Education Advice and a letter outlining the reasons for refusing funding was issued to them on Thursday 30 May.

Speech Therapy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many speech therapists there have been in each NHS board area in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01, (c) 2001-02 and (d) 2002-03 to date.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the latest centrally available data for headcount and whole-time equivalent of speech therapists by NHS board in Scotland:

  Speech Therapists in Scotland by NHS Board at 30 September

  

 

Headcount


WTE




1998


1999


2000


2001P


1998


1999


2000


2001P




Scotland


824


844


887


882


686.4


708.1


744.4


739.6




Argyll and Clyde


62


62


62


66


52.4


52.9


53.7


56.2




Ayrshire and Arran


41


46


49


54


36.2


40.2


41.7


45.8




Borders


18


18


19


20


15.5


16.0


16.7


17.2




Dumfries and Galloway


25


28


26


29


22.3


25.5


22.2


23.8




Fife


63


46


67


50


49.4


37.9


51.6


40.1




Forth Valley


42


46


53


54


34.1


36.5


43.5


43.3




Grampian


94


101


101


96


70.9


78.3


78.9


74.4




Greater Glasgow


139


147


155


156


122.6


128.1


136.3


137.6




Highland


31


29


28


33


27.2


24.6


24.2


28.4




Lanarkshire


104


107


100


102


94.5


95.4


89.7


90.3




Lothian


133


138


148


143


100.4


109.2


117.9


112.9




Orkney


4


4


4


3


2.7


2.7


2.7


2.4




Shetland


4


3


3


3


3.7


2.5


2.7


2.7




Tayside


58


64


66


66


48.7


53.4


56.6


57.3




Western Isles


6


5


6


7


5.8


5.0


6.0


7.0




  PProvisional

  Note:

  1. These data are released under National Manpower Statistics from Payroll.

  2. Whole-time equivalent (WTE) is calculated by dividing the number of contracted hours by the conditioned hours for the group of staff.

Sport

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for any further initiatives in response to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee's 9th Report 2000 Sport in Schools and whether it is satisfied that all the recommendations contained in that report have been responded to.

Dr Elaine Murray: We responded in full to the committee's report on 30 April and look forward to further discussions with the committee about plans and progress in this area once it has considered our response and the imminent report of the Physical Activity Task Force.

Street Lighting

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what policies it has and what research it is undertaking in respect of reducing visual pollution from street lighting.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is responsible for lighting on motorways and trunk roads whilst the responsibility for lighting on local roads rests with the appropriate local authority.

  Both the Executive and local authorities work to the relevant British Standards for road lighting installation and employ technologies which take full account of advances in efficiency and design. All trunk road lighting schemes are also designed in accordance with the best practice guidance set out in the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. The objective is to provide lighting which achieves night-time road safety objectives whilst minimising adverse environmental impacts and intrusion. All new and replacement trunk road lighting is of a less polluting type which offers superior control of the emitted light, giving a reduction in the amount of light spillage into the night sky.

  The Executive is not currently undertaking any research in respect of reducing visual pollution from street lighting

Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill will be introduced.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Title Conditions (Scotland) Bill will be introduced to Parliament tomorrow (6 June). The bill will mark the second stage in the Property Law Reform Programme commenced by the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000. It will reform and clarify the law relating to non-feudal conditions and burdens on land which remain following the abolition of the feudal system. The bill, which was originally drafted by the Scottish Law Commission, has been amended in the light of the consultation exercise conducted last summer, and I would like to express my thanks both to the commission and to all who offered an opinion.

Tourism

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has provided to promote or support tourism in Lanarkshire.

Mike Watson: None. The promotion of Lanarkshire as a tourism destination is a matter for Greater Glasgow Clyde Valley Tourist Board.

Voluntary Sector

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or plans to take, to increase the targeting of volunteering initiatives in deprived communities.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive supports the national network of Volunteer Centres. Volunteer Centres are one-stop shops where information, advice and support on volunteering opportunities can be obtained by people, irrespective of their background or circumstances. We have increased our investment in the network to £2 million in 2002-03. This is double the funding made available in 2001-02. The additional resources are being distributed to the volunteer centres on the basis of the same formula that applies to our support to local authorities i.e. it takes account of various factors including levels of deprivation.

Volunteers' Week

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote Volunteers' Week.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive has supported Volunteers' Week for a number of years. This year the week will be launched by the First Minister in Glasgow on 7 June. The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport will give the keynote address at the Volunteering in the Arts conference on 8 June and the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning will speak at the "Getting Connected" conference on employer supported volunteering on 13 June. A number of ministers, including Mr Henry and myself, have agreed to participate in volunteering opportunities across Scotland throughout the week.

  In addition, the Executive is providing funding of £10,000 to Volunteer Development Scotland to support the week.

Wildlife

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make additional funding available to tackle wildlife crime in remote areas given the logistical difficulties in policing such areas.

Mr Jim Wallace: Budget proposals submitted via the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland for 2002-03 were met in full in the funding settlement. As a result, the level of funding provided to forces is now at record levels. It is an operational matter for chief constables to determine how they use the funding at their disposal to meet local needs and priorities within their areas. In April 2002, the National Criminal Intelligence Service established a national wildlife crime intelligence unit to work with forces in Scotland as well as elsewhere in the UK specifically to target those whose business is organised wildlife crime.

Young People

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members are of the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused through Prostitution and when it next plans to meet.

Cathy Jamieson: The Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused through Prostitution consists of a number of officials from across the Executive and representatives from: Barnardo's Scotland; Aberlour Child Care Trust; ChildLine Scotland; the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland; Children's Panel Chairs' Group; Community Education Managers Scotland; Crown Office; Scottish Children's Reporter Administration; Child Protection Committees; The Big Step Social Inclusion Partnership, and the Association of Directors of Social Work.

  The initial work is being carried out in correspondence and meetings will be convened as required.

Young People

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to issue guidance on the protection of children and young people abused through prostitution.

Cathy Jamieson: The working group hopes to reach initial conclusions by the autumn with a view to consulting on proposals by the end of the year.

Young People

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop refuge provision for young people at risk of harm in accordance with section 38 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.

Cathy Jamieson: Local authorities already have powers under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to provide short-term refuges for children. The need for flexible forms of refuge provision is one issue which will be considered by the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused through Prostitution.

Young People

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which recommendations in Consultation on Young Runaways: Background Paper by the Social Exclusion Unit, published by the Cabinet Office it is considering for implementation with reference to running away.

Cathy Jamieson: The recommendations are helping to inform the work of the Working Group on Young Runaways and Children Abused Through Prostitution. We are keeping in close contact with progress on the Social Exclusion Unit project and will consider which of the emerging conclusions are appropriate in the Scottish context.